The subject disclosure relates to selection mechanism for use in a multi-color tufting machine in which yarn is pneumatically transported to tufting stations and tufted to a backing layer. The mechanism and method of selection disclosed herein has particular utility in a system which has become known as the "Spanel Tufting System" invented by Abram N. Spanel, a co-inventor of the subject disclosure. Generally, the Spanel system utilizes pneumatic means to transport yarn to a tufting station, either in metered lengths of unsevered yarn or in discrete bits. After the transportation the yarn is tufted, by needle or other bit-applying elements to a backing layer to form a tufted product such as a rug.
The subject invention discloses a selection and feeding means which is of particular utility when used in the tufting system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,147 which issued to Abram N. Spanel and George J. Brennan on Jan. 12, 1971. This patent provides for the simultaneous selection of bit-lengths of yarn of various colors for each tufting cycle at each individual tufting station. A collator structure in which individual channels transport yarn into a common passageway adjacent the tufting station is utilized.
In the aforementioned Spanel (Brennan) patent, by way of example, three different colors are provided for each tufting station comprising individual bit-applying elements. From the creels, yarn strands are led into a metering device 12 which is shown to comprise a plurality of brakes and yarn-pullers or feeders. From the metering device 12, the yarns pass through a multi-strand selector mechanism 14. From each selector, there is a tube or passageway extending to or forming one input passage of a collator 16. Each of the tubes or passageways merges into a common single passageway 18 so that each yarn-bit, regardless of which color, will eventually be transported into the common passageway 18 which feeds each of the individual bit-applying elements or needles. The metering device in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,147 comprised yarn-brakes 12A, 12B, 12C and yarn-pullers 12X and 12Y, all of which were individually actuated but which would coact to meter a bit-length of yarn of predetermined length to be available for selection and subsequent transportation to the tufting station. While theoretically similar in operation to aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,147, the subject application discloses improved operational techniques and means which supplement the teachings of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,147 and contribute to improved efficiency of the Spanel Tufting System.
In addition to aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,147, other Spanel patents which disclose related tufting techniques are: U.S. Pat. No. Re.27,165; U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,157; U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,158; U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,159; U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,160; U.S. Pat. No. 3,824,939, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,156.
Reference is also made to copending Application Ser. No. 699,905 which covers some of the basic techniques disclosed herein, as well as copending Application Ser. Nos. 700,413 and 699,906 in which related operations are disclosed.